About Building Blocks Community Leadership Program

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Wyndham's Building Blocks Community Leadership Program describes the implementation of two Wyndham City Plan (2013-17) objectives to provide an opportunity for eligible community members to build and strengthen their capacity in community leadership and participation. This program aims to support the contribution of individuals towards Wyndham as a diverse, active and well supported and connected community with high participation in local and municipal community life.

Wyndham's Building Blocks program is a fully subsidised program facilitated by Victoria University for local Wyndham residents, employees, community members or volunteers interested in working collaboratively with others to develop and strengthen their community leadership and participation skills.

Program participation, unless otherwise noted, is for Wyndham people over 16 years, who wish to develop their leadership capacity and are considered to be a new and emerging leader, who either lives, works, studies and/or volunteers in Wyndham. Please note that eligibility criteria and a selection process will apply.

Applications open mid-term for the program commencing the following term. An application form/program brochure will be made available on Wyndham City website, Wyndham Civic Centre, local libraries and community centres. Applications close 2 weeks prior to program commencement with successful applicants being notified by email and/or phone.

Wyndham Building Blocks Community Leadership eNewsletter

Community Leadership Forum - Peter Kenyon

Wyndham City hosted world renowned Peter Kenyon, a social capitalist & community enthusiast who works with communities to facilitate fresh and creative ways to stimulate community and economic renewal. He is motivated by the desire to create healthy, caring, inclusive, sustainable and enterprising communities. Peter Kenyon is founder of the Bank of I.D.E.A.S. – Initiatives for the Development of Enterprising Action and Strategies, and www.bankofideas.com.au has a lot of copy left (not copyright) material that can be used by community groups.

The Wyndham Community Leadership Forum saw Peter Kenyon defining a community with lots of great quotes; however his point was essentially that good communities develop from the inside out.

He then spoke about leadership, saying that effective leaders DO:

Make things happen

Inspire others

Open up possibilities

Facilitate collaboration

Instil a positive mindset

Foster other leaders

Peter says that “The mutual love affair between people and their place is one of the most powerful influences in our lives, yet rarely thought of in terms of a relationship. As cities begin thinking of themselves as engaged in a relationship with their citizens, and citizens begin to consider their emotional connections with their places, we open up new possibilities in community, social and economic development by including the most powerful of motivators—the human heart—in our toolkit of city-making."

Peter offered 5 tips for building community:

Have an appreciative mindset

Remember success is an inside job

Create opportunities for everyone to contribute

Build social networks

Know the importance of community conversation

As Peter quotes, “Communities around the world are entering a new era of community building. Whether improving economic conditions and reducing poverty, re-energizing citizens and social programs, reducing crime, or revitalizing a troubled neighbourhood, they are engaging people from all sectors as never before to work together as equals to improve their quality of life. At the heart of this engagement are community conversations, in which common goals are embraced by a diverse array of people with different backgrounds and needs, and influencers are drawn from multiple sectors, including community organizations, the various levels of government, and businesses big and small.